Pilot Kombucha

In New York City, everything moves fast—but don't expect the booch to take any faster to brew than its normal, slow-paced process. Pilot Kombucha knows it takes time. The packaging won us over first with this brand. We love the labels and their use of color and design. The copy is fun too! “The contents of this bottle are alive! Don’t be alarmed if you have a baby SCOBY in your bottle,” the labels read. Fun!

The flavors behind the cute bottles definitely impress. We were particularly delighted by Blueberry Lemongrass. Really lovely, robust carbonation. The blueberry hits you first, and then lemongrass swirls in. It’s a really nice, dry kombucha, with a perfect bite and just a hint of mint and chamomile. Turmeric Aloe is a standout too, with a mild and clean taste. In addition to turmeric, it also contains dried ginger, orange peel, aloe juice (all organic) and Pu-erh tea, which is a unique, dark red colored tea. “This is our magic bullet,” the label reads. “Everything in it is especially formulated to cure what ails you.” Yes, please!

Pilot was launched by former cook Alex Ingalls, who spent five years home-brewing before taking her kombucha commercial. As for the name, it “comes from my family history," she explains, "which has strong roots in military aviation on my dad's side—three generations. I also like that the word pilot has many different associations - aviation, sea life, cooking (pilot light), and also exploration/experimentation like pilot programs!”

We look forward to watching this self-proclaimed “fledgling fermentation company” grow and develop in the Big Apple and beyond!